Children of the Stars by Mario Escobar

From international bestselling author Mario Escobar comes a story of escape, sacrifice, and hope amid the perils of the second World War.
August 1942. Jacob and Moses Stein, two young Jewish brothers, are staying with their aunt in Paris amid the Nazi occupation. The boys’ parents, well-known German playwrights, have left the brothers in their aunt’s care until they can find safe harbor for their family. But before the Steins can reunite, a great and terrifying roundup occurs. The French gendarmes, under Nazi order, arrest the boys and take them to the Vélodrome d’Hiver—a massive, bleak structure in Paris where thousands of France’s Jews are being forcibly detained.
Jacob and Moses know they must flee in order to survive, but they only have a set of letters sent from the south of France to guide them to their parents. Danger lurks around every corner as the boys, with nothing but each other, trek across the occupied country. Along their remarkable journey, they meet strangers and brave souls who put themselves at risk to protect the children—some of whom pay the ultimate price for helping these young refugees of war.
This inspiring novel, now available for the first time in English, demonstrates the power of family and the endurance of the human spirit—even through the darkest moments of human history.

Amazon


About The Author

Mario Escobar Golderos has a degree in History, with an advanced studies diploma in Modern History. He has written numerous books and articles about the Inquisition, the Protestant Reformation, and religious sects. He is the executive director of an NGO and directs the magazine Nueva historia para el debate, in addition to being a contributing columnist in various publications. Passionate about history and its mysteries, Escobar has delved into the depths of church history, the different sectarian groups that have struggled therein, and the discovery and colonization of the Americas. He specializes in the lives of unorthodox Spaniards and Americans.


My Review

This story takes place in Europe during the Holocaust, and the horrific time of hate. The author has us focus on the lives of two young boys, left with their aunt in France. The hope the parents had when they left their boys didn’t turn into reality, and things go wrong very fast.
The courage these youngsters show as they try to flee France and go to Spain to find their folks, and we walk in their shoes as this horrible journey begins and ends as they span continents.
As a parent I would have had a hard time leaving my children, sometimes hard decisions are made, but are they the right ones?
I did love the title and made a connection between the horrible yellow stars and the vastness of God’s universe and the night sky fun of stars.
Don’t miss the author’s notes at the end, yes, these are fictional characters, but there were real children that had this happen to them!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.